Worker’s compensation is a type of insurance that provides medical care and defined wage benefits to employees when they are injured on the job. It is a no-fault insurance program that pays benefits to employees who sustain work-related injuries and illnesses. These insurance programs are run by individual states and are designed to cover employee expenses incurred in work-related accidents and injuries. 

A work-related injury or illness is a general physical condition that is caused, aggravated, precipitated, or accelerated by the work or the work environment. All employers are required to have worker’s compensation insurance to provide protections to covered employees. 

Employees should be trained on the appropriate process for reporting an incident, usually to someone in HR or a manager. Some companies may have health and safety committees that oversee these types of incidents.

Worker’s compensation benefits typically require the individual to be an employee. An employer’s obligation to provide worker’s compensation extends to employees only, and not independent contractors. However, some states do recognize independent contractors as employees. Temporary employees are those who are hired for short-term periods, usually through a temporary employment firm that’s responsible for providing workers compensation benefits. 

Overseeing worker’s compensation requires proper reporting and managing of the claim. 

Once an incident is reported, HR, the manager, or appointed representative must determine whether first aid is necessary on the scene or if the employee should be transferred to a medical facility. If severe, the emergency contact should also be notified. The site where the incident occurred should be secured to ensure that additional injuries are not sustained. 

The employer and employee, if possible, complete the necessary forms and paperwork together. This report typically includes the date and location of the injury, the date the employee received the form, the date the employee returned the form to the employer, and any additional information. HR or the company representative must provide a deadline for form submission. The form should be submitted by certified mail so that there is record of the date it was submitted.

It is then the employer’s responsibility to file the injury and illness reports and stay in contact with the worker’s compensation carrier to facilitate the exchange of information between the carrier and the employee.

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